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"WHAT 100 YEARS OF PEACE AMONG 

ENGLISH SPEAKING PEOPLE HAS 

MEANT TO THE WORLD." 



PRIZE ESS AY written under the Auspices of the 

LOUISIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY 

by Miss ETHEL L. HEARNE, 

Vinson Hish School. Vinton, I. a. 




THE FLAG OF LOUISIAMW 



Inuseprover 100 years, hut not officially adopted umil July 1st, 1912. 
. -mee Act 39 of the General Assembly of Louisiana, of 1912. page 47\ 



ICouiataua l^ifitiirtral ^urictij 

ESSAY COMMITTEE 

W. O. HART, Chairman 
Rev. GK'i. Kknt B. p. Sullivan 

Jno. Dymond Mf'OS. H. M. Gill 



JUDGES OF ESSAYS 

Hon. JOS. A. BREAUX, Chairman 

Miss Makv L. Finney J. H. Fulton 

M. J. Sandeks 



(IrrPl 



AUG 



What 100 Years of Peace aiiioii^ English 

Speaking People lias meant 

to tlie World. 



Just one Imndred years ago, in the little town of (Jhent, Belgium, 
was signeil a treaty of peace between the United States and Great 
Britain. This treaty marked the end of the war of 1813 and the 
beginning of the era of peace whicli has extended throughout the 
century, its splendor never marred l)y any pretense of war between these 
two nations, the mightiest ot the world. 

During this century of peace and tranquility these two mighty 
streams of life have flowed on side by side, never overflowing their 
banks. l)ut both bound for a common goal — the vast sea of eternity. 
They have flowed on. yes blessed by a peace which was bought with many 
dollars and the blood of numy men. 

In our every day life v/e learn the true worth of something when 
we realize the faults, unworthiness and undesirability of its opposite. 
Thus we nuiy contrast war and peace, and by showing the disadvantages 
of the first mixkc clear tlie advantages of the second. 

]\Iany definitions of war have been given, but Cicneral Sherman, 
although speaking in very strong tenns, tells the truth when he says 
"War is hell." Devils do not treat one another as we do in war. War 
ju'oduces one of the worst of emotions — hate; it clogs up the channels 
of connnerce ; it is the demon which snatches away the life blood of a 
nation. The makers of our great and grand American Republic dreaded 
war and avoided it as the greatest of human evils. They realized that 
wai' was not the best means to which they might resort, that war mul- 
lijilies injuries instead of lessening them. 



Would that some Eaphacl could picture the awfuhicss of war. A 
pen picture seems so deficient. However, let us glance at a country 
engaged in war. Her ground is covered with blood; tlie harmony of 
home destroyed; children arc fatherless; wives arc widows; business is 
at a standstill : commerce neglected, the merchant's ships lie idle in the 
harbors; literary pursuits are forgotten. The noise of battle exceeds all 
other sounds, the minds of men are bent on slaughter as the nu'ans of 
redressing their wrongs. Is this Christian-like? Are we yet in that 
barbarous stage characterized by the love of concpiest? 

War and the preparation for it are the greatest burdens of our 
nations. The war Department in 1913 spent $160,387,453 for the sup- 
port of tlic army. Tlie Civil AVar cost us millions of dollars and ri\ers 
of I)lood. Our war with Spain cost more than one billion of dollars and 
20,0(10 lives. Great Britain and the Transvaal spent the same amount 
and !)1.000 lives before their differences Avere adjusted. 

To what l:)etter advantages this money could have been used. This 
monev wrung from the life blood of the countless numbers who suffered 
and died in war. Tt could have been used in innumerable ways to 
devel()]i manufactures, increase commerce, educate the children, for 
they are the people of the morrow; to found charitable instituti(ms for 
the poor and needy, or in any way to better hunuinity. 

And the lives which were forfeited, the lives which supplied the 
crimson blood that appeased the angry God of War. could they not have 
perhaps uplifted humanity? Perliaps to-day there lies beneath a 
soldier's grave one who could liave been another Titian, a Beethoven, an 
Edison or a Shakespeare. 

It is for the interest of humanity that the occasions of war and the 
tendency towards it should 1)0 lessened. The humanizing influences of 
commerce and agriculture should attract men's minds and tend t(^ turn 
them from Avar. Oh, that "the swords might l)e turned into pb)Ugb- 
shares, their spears into pruning hooks, the nations learn war no more." 

The disadvantages of war now should be clear; let us glance at the 
advantages of peace and what this century of peace has meant to 
America, Great Britain and lln' other leading countries. 



To America it Ims meant evervtliing. At tlie close of tlie War of 
1812 we were indeed a small nation among the nations of the world. 
We had no inanufactures, no commerce, no regular system of free educa- 
tion, no great charital)le institutions, no railroads, no literature dis- 
tinctly our own. and. in fact, we were backward in all respects. Since 
then, wiiile enjoying ilie t)lessings of peace, we have grown to be one 
of tlie greatest and grandest nations on the globe. We have developed 
vast manufactures, producing our own nccessaiT articles, while at the 
same time supplying other nations with them. \\o have in America 
some of the greatest manufacturers of the world and iru^ny fortunes have 
been made in this line. Our commerce is veiT extensive, our merchant's 
ships dot the distant seas and we trade with all the nations. Our vast 
continent is covered with a network of railroads, making communication 
very easy; we have the telephone and the telegra[)h. two of the great 
inventions during this era of peace, wliich enable us to be in very close 
communication with distant points. "We have one of the greatest systems 
of free education in the world and perhaps the only one of its kind. We 
liave nundjers of Colleges and Universities, where a higher education may 
be obtained. We have institutions of charity of every description in 
which the less fortunate of humanity receive cai'e. We have the 
im'entive geniuses of the world. More inventions have been made during 
this era than perhaps ever before. In literary lines we have the greatest 
pliilosophers, poets, and writers of the century. During this time we 
have also produced some of the most able scientists of the world. And 
coidd this have happened during war? Xo, it is Init the result of peace. 

What has this century of picace meant to Great Britain? Practically 
the same that it iuis meant to the United States. This mighty empire 
on whose territory the sun never sets, has gained nnich of her greatness 
during tliis century of peace. 

Triiat has tliis peace meant to the other nations — to Japan. China. 
France. Germany and all the other countries which comprise our inter- 
national union of to-day? Have they not progressed rapidly under tlie 
beneficial influence of peace between tlie two leading nations of their 
union. The smaller countries have made rapid strides towards general 
betterment, liaving such an e.\am]ile of peaco before Ihein. 



TTnclcr this influence of peace tlanntless men and women have 
piei'ced the wilds of savage countries^ bringing the truth of the gospel 
and a taste of civilization to our savage brethren. 

This peace lias fostered international brotherhood; nations who 
think alike will not dispute. The opening of the various cosmopolitan 
clubs has done much to foster this feeling of common brothcrliood and 
promote peace. They bring the nation into closer communieation, and 
we all know that it is by cinnmunii-ation that we develop. 

ITow are we to preserve this peace of a century so that it may 
continue throughout the centuries from generation to generation? Only 
in one v/ay — by arbitration. To argue that arbitration is better than 
war is as useless as to argue that civilization is better than barbarism. 
"We all are convinced that })eaceful settlement of dilferenees is superior 
to riot and bloodshed. 

For the purpose of promoting peace, fostering international 
broth.erhootl, and establishing arbitration in place of war, there lias been 
founded at The Hague an International Court of Arbitration. Andrew 
Carnegie, recognizing the worthiness of such a tribumil, has (hmated 
$1,500,000 for the ];)urpose of erecting a pernuuicnt home for this court, 
to be known as The Temple of Peace. 

Ai'bitration lias settle'd several disputes whieli have remaine:! scttletl, 
while great wars have oidy temporarily settled sinuhrr nuitters. War 
costs millions of dollars and lives, while arbitration costs comparatively 
nothing. 

In c(mclusion, let us resolve to celebrate this anniversary of peace 
in a suitable way. Let us tell our children of it, for they will be the 
nation of the years to come. Let us scatter broadcast the blessings of 
peace, and may eacli heait be lifted up to its benevolent Creator in a 
prayer of thanksgiving ami the request that our grand and glorious 
country may long enjoy the benign influence of peace. 

Peace, the soothing angel, has bent o'er us many years. 
Her wings have enshadowed us and driven away our fears; 
May the Almighty Father in His wisilom ami His love 
(irant her presence to us longer from the regions up al)(i\e. 





GOLD PRIZE MEDAL 

Awarded by Uie Societ_y at the final lueetiiifif of Judg-es 
May I'Jth. 1<J14. 



HONORABLE MENTION 

Miss ODETTK LASSEIGNE 
Reserve High School, Reserve, La. 

Masters H. C. PREVOST and H K. SIMONS 
Jesuit Hiirh School, New Orleans. 



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